What to Look for in a Weight Loss App

Losing weight isn’t an easy task. The more support you have, the better. If you can get your friends and family to support you, you’ll find the process much easier than trying to do it on your own. Another way to get the support you need is to use a weight loss app. It can help you track your progress, tweak your program and give you the occasional push in the right direction. As with all apps, there are good weight loss apps, and there are bad weight loss apps. When you choose one, look for the following things to ensure you get an app that will set you on the path to weight loss.

A Healthy Approach

There are many ways to slim down, but not all of them are necessarily healthy. Some diets and exercise programs are so extreme they can harm you in the long (and sometimes short) run. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for a weight loss app. It’s best to avoid any apps that promote extreme diets and exercise programs. Rather, look for one that has a balanced approach. You won’t harm yourself, and you stand a better chance of keeping the weight off once you lose it.

Essential Features

Certain features are essential to a weight loss app. These include a body weight tracker, a body measurement tracker (sometimes you’ll see more inches than pounds drop), a food diary and an exercise tracker. Other features are also very useful, such as a calorie counter, meal planner and workout planner. Look out for these functions and any others you deem necessary for your success.

Availability Across Platforms

When you look for a weight loss app, try to find one that works over multiple platforms, including your smartphone, tablet and computer. That way you’ll be able to use any device to access the app. This makes it easier for you to keep using the app on a regular basis, no matter where you are. Also, if something happens to one of your devices, you can still track your progress, and you won’t lose your stored information.

Usability

Let’s face it: If something is hard to do, we’re less likely to do it. Losing weight is already tough. You don’t want to make the whole process more difficult by choosing a weight loss app that’s a pain to use. Make sure you select an app with a decent user interface—the more intuitive the app, the better. Also, the fewer things you must do to complete a task, the better. Go for simplicity.

Customizability

A good weight loss app will allow you to customize it to suit your goals and lifestyle. For example, it’s important for the app to allow you to use either kilograms or pounds and calories or kilojoules, depending on which you prefer. It’s also vital for the app to let you adjust information-sharing preferences. You need to decide who has access to information, such as goals reached or weight lost.

Value for Money

Going for the cheapest weight loss app you can find isn’t necessarily the best idea. The cheapest (or free) apps may not have the all the features you need. That being said, buying the most expensive app may not be a good idea either. You might end up paying an enormous sum for an app that does the same thing as a more reasonably priced app does. Focus on the other features and characteristics you want when choosing a weight loss app. You’ll get your money’s worth if you buy (or even download for free) an app that meets all your needs.

Accountability

A proven method to lose weight is to make yourself accountable to someone or something. This is why people who embark on weight loss programs with friends are more likely to shed the extra weight. Try to find a weight loss app that allows you to implement some form of accountability, such as sharing progress with a friend. If you feel comfortable with it, you can even allow the app to share your success on your social media accounts.

If you choose a weight loss app that has all the features discussed above, you’ll find it much easier to reach your weight loss goals in a healthy and sustainable way. After all, you want to stay slim and healthy once you’ve reached your goal.

Have you found a weight loss app that helped you reach your goals? What features does it have? How did it help you lose weight? Let us know in the comments!